Preface:
I jumped off a small cliff into water, but for me, that’s huge.
I hate uncontrolled heights.
Anyways, here’s what I learned.
Last Sunday, we went for a hike to a waterfall. It was about a 3km hike, and I was really struggling with the hike. It was hard, involved rock climbing, and going through water multiple times to get there.
I stumbled, tripped and fell on the way there. It was hot, and I’m out of shape. I was getting annoyed and thinking, “how am I ever going to get back if it’s this hard getting there?”
Then I got there, and it was beautiful. I was aching, but it was worth it.
Everyone started climbing up to this ledge that was about 12 ft above the water, and they would jump off. I decided to try it. I struggled getting an initial foothold, but once I got it, I started climbing. I got to where I had one step left, and I froze with fear because I couldn’t find a place to grab onto.
“What if I fall?” played over and over in my head.
One of the guys climbed up ahead of me, reached out his hand and pulled me up to the ledge. After I caught my breath, I asked where to jump from and what to aim for.
I got a little over zealous and leaned to far forward when I jumped, and face planted in the water, but guys, I still made it up there and jumped. It wasn’t graceful, but I did it.
Yes, the video will be at the end of the blog.
But anyway, here’s what I learned.
1. Most great moments take a lot of hard work.
Usually the hard work takes much longer than the great moment.
Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,”
2. You won’t get to a lot of great places by yourself.
If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.
3. You have to risk failure to achieve success.
It’s better to have tried and failed, than to have never tried at all.
1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
4. Sometimes, great moments won’t look the way that you want them to.
I wanted to have a much more graceful landing, but I still faced a fear.
Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.
5. After the great moment, you have to hike back.
Great moments don’t last forever, but they can definitely spur you on. The Israelites had to keep going to get to the Promised Land.
Deuteronomy 1:6 “The LORD our God spoke to us at Horeb, saying, ‘You have stayed long enough at this mountain.
6. The hike is just as important as the waterfall.
They are both parts of the journey.
Galatians 6:9 Let us not lost heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
After I jumped, we hung out a little longer. A few more people jumped, but then we had to hike back.
I learned our lives can look a lot like series of hikes to waterfalls. We have the Lord leading us, and people going along with us.
May we learn to enjoy the hike just as much as jumping into the waterfall; and may we allow the Lord to lead us as we hike through life’s journey together.
God Bless!
To my supporters, thank you all for your investments financially and for your prayers. I am forever greatful for each of you. I am less than $1500 away from being fully funded!
